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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cold — not warm
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bank — for money
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. present — the time now
  10. rash — hasty
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. present — there
  17. cue — a hint
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. present — a gift
  20. bank — for money
  21. cold — an illness
  22. rash — a series
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com